The Caspian-Caucasian Front () was a
front
Front may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Films
* ''The Front'' (1943 film), a 1943 Soviet drama film
* ''The Front'', 1976 film
Music
* The Front (band), an American rock band signed to Columbia Records and active in the 1980s and e ...
of the
Red Army during the
Russian Civil War, formed on 8 December 1918 as a branch of the
Southern Front. The Front was disbanded on 13 March 1919 and the troops transferred to form a separate 11th Army.
Operations
The Caspian-Caucasian Front covered the Lower Volga, the Northern and Western coasts of the Caspian Sea and the Northern Caucasus.
The Front headquarters were located in Astrakhan.
The task of the Front was to have the 11th Army continue the offensive against the
Armavir -
Tikhoretsk line held by the White troops of
Denikin
Anton Ivanovich Denikin (russian: Анто́н Ива́нович Дени́кин, link= ; 16 December Old_Style_and_New_Style_dates">O.S._4_December.html" ;"title="Old_Style_and_New_Style_dates.html" ;"title="nowiki/>Old Style and New St ...
, while the 12th Army was to launch an offensive against
Petrovsk -
Derbent.
The troops of the 11th Army were not able to carry out the assigned tasks, as they were opposed by considerable enemy forces.
The 12th Army was also forced to conduct defensive battles in the districts of
Kizlyar and west of Guryev. In January 1919, the troops of the 11th Army were defeated in the
Northern Caucasus Operation (1918–1919)
The Northern Caucasus Operation was fought between the White and Red Armies during the Russian Civil War between December 1918 and March 1919. The White Army captured the entire Northern Caucasus. The Red Army withdrew to Astrahan and the Volga ...
and in February they retreated over the
Manych River
The Manych (russian: Маныч) is a river in the Black Sea–Caspian Steppe of Southern Russia. It flows through the western and central part of the Kuma–Manych Depression. In ancient times, it was known as the Lik.
A tributary of the Don, it ...
into the region of Astrakhan.
On February 4, 1919, the ''Stavropol Front'' was created to defend Astrakhan. In February 1919, the troops of the Front managed to secure Astrakhan and the mouth of the Volga and to prevent the union of Denikin's troops with the Ural white Cossacks.
The Front was disbanded on 13 March 1919.
Composition
*
11th Army
*
12th Army
*
Astrakhan-Caspian Military Flotilla
The Astrakhan-Caspian Military Flotilla (russian: Астрахано-Каспийская военная флотилия) was formed by the Bolsheviks in October 1918 for the purpose of defending the Lower Volga and northern parts of the Caspian ...
Commanders
Commander :
*
Mikhail Svechnikov (December 1918 - March 1919)
Chief of Staff :
* E.A. Nicolic
Members of the Revolutionary Military Council:
*
Sergei Sachs
Sergius is a male given name of Ancient Roman origin after the name of the Latin ''gens'' Sergia or Sergii of regal and republican ages. It is a common Christian name, in honor of Saint Sergius, or in Russia, of Saint Sergius of Radonezh, and ...
*
Alexander Shliapnikov
*
Konstantin Mekhonoshin
Konstantin Aleksandrovich Mekhonoshin (russian: Константин Александрович Мехоношин; 7 May, 1938) was a Russian Bolshevik revolutionary, Soviet military figure and politician.
Life and career
He was born in the se ...
* N.A.Anisimov
Source
*
{{Soviet fronts of the Russian Civil War
Soviet units and formations of the Russian Civil War
Military units and formations established in 1918
Military units and formations disestablished in 1919
Soviet fronts